See You In The Afterlife
by SeductiveEuphoria
Summary: A crossover fic that I started writing because Natalie Dormer/Tom Burke have off-the-charts chemistry (in The Brunchers) and I wish she could've starred in The Musketeers. Also, Annabelle Wallis who played Jane Seymour (on The Tudors) played Ninon (on The Muskeeteers). :) So let's connect the dots.
1. Chapter 1

The night before, when Anne had gradually come to terms with the inevitability of her execution. She had tried to picture her last moments on God's earth. She had imagined that memories from her past would flash before her eyes as she surrendered to death's iron grip.

Instead, it was thoughts of the future that ran through her mind. A future where her daughter's fate was just as much at the mercy of Henry's whims, as Anne's own life had been.

Perhaps, it was her fault. Had she not given into her fears, she would have fought harder to keep the crown on her head, and her head on her shoulders. Alas, another queen was to take her place, as she had taken Catherine's. _Such cruel irony, but Anne supposed she should have seen it coming anyway_. Pity, she would not live to see if this new queen would make Henry happy. For her own sake, she had to.

The executioner swung the blade deftly, expertly, birds scattered in the air frightened by the whooshing sound, the crowd gasped.

The last feeling Anne remembered before she lost consciousness, was repentance, along with a deep longing to live. To breathe. To see. To fight and protect what mattered to her most.

But you cannot always get all you want.

When she next drew a breath, she smelled a sickly sweet perfume in the air. She squinted, too afraid to look up at first, then opened her eyes wide. Her heart was fluttering in her chest as she saw a handsome man staring down at her with a concerned expression. He was a soldier in a fanciful leather uniform, funny hat and an assortment of weapons hanging from his belt. She could not explain what she felt, partly because fate had no prominent place in her religious beliefs. So it was the oddest thing, to intuit that she was fated to meet him.

"Are you alright, madame?" He held out his leather-gloved hand out to her. Noticing her questioning look, he tipped his hat and bowed his head lightly as he introduced himself. "Athos, of the King's Musketeers, at your service."

It took her a few moments to recognize the language and respond.

"Tell me, monsieur Athos, where am I? Is this hell, or, dare I hope – Heaven?"

The man smiled, visibly amused by the question. She took the hand he'd offered and he helped her stand up.

"Either one, or both, depending on who you ask. You are in Paris, madame."


	2. Chapter 2

Porthos seemed amused, above all. More so than his companions.

"What?! The queen of England! Did she expect you to curtsy or somethin'?"

Aramis, who was typically calm and composed in similar situations, seemed mostly outraged by the proposition of time travel.

"You cannot possibly believe her story, Athos. It would be blasphemy to do so. What she has told you does not sound like a miracle, although that is probably how she will present it. The Lord works in mysterious ways, but what she is suggesting… That's madness."

"I haven't said that I believe it," Athos drawled.

D'Artagnan was still not quite sure what to make of the story.

"What then?"

"Like Aramis said, it sounds mad. I have seen soldiers lose their sanity after battle. There can be any number of reasons for a woman to be in shock and get the same way. But there's one complication."

"And what is that?"

Athos turned his weary gaze on Aramis.

"She has the manners and the formal expression of aristocracy."

"So? Aren't there mad aristocrats? I certainly know a few," Porthos chuckled.

"It's more than that. She uses archaic language – words and phrases that are no longer common. She's given me an account of the English ambassador, several noblemen and ladies in waiting in the Court over a hundred years ago. I attempted to check the information in the archives, with relative success, and it is fairly accurate."

"So what if she's learned a bit of history?"

Athos propped his elbow on the table and stretched his legs.

"Precisely. How would she learn all this, and why would she ask to speak to the King?"

"His Majesty king Louis?"

"No. But the point is, I need to find out if she is mad, or if she's a threat."

Porthos dismissed his concern with a wave.

"Don't be paranoid, Athos, how can she be a threat? She's a-"

"Woman? In my experience, women can be even greater threats than men. Especially those who spy and manipulate."

"Not everyone is like Milady," D'Artagnan objected.

"No," Athos conceded quietly. "But she may still be dangerous."

"A beauty like her? Guaranteed," Aramis gave his expert opinion. "Thread carefully, my friend," he added with a pat on his shoulder and a tip of his hat.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Notes:**_ _Spoilers for 1x7 of The Musketeers._

Athos spent the majority of the following days in her company. She had asked for books and only interrupted her reading when he spoke to her. When confronted with the statement that over a century had passed since her last recollection, she had insisted that he tell her about the fate of the English monarchs and court.

"Elizabeth, tell me about my Elizabeth," she pleaded with genuine concern, and despite his better judgment, he complied. Good thing Aramis was not in the room to object, at every sentence, to his account of the unfortunate fate of the Spanish Armada.

Incredulity, pride, maniacal laughter and sadness. Her face was so expressive Athos could see a whole spectrum of emotions at each chapter of his description of events. If she was a hired spy and an actress, she was impressive.

Alas, the more he investigated, the more he realized that the alternative was a little more likely. Anne seemed to believe without a shadow of a doubt that she was the infamous queen of England from olden times. When questioned further, she took it as an insult upon her intelligence.

"Do you remember anything else from your life before you came here?"

Athos was trying to be as tactful as possible, but the way he phrased the inquiry aggravated her again. She shot him a fierce look of reproach.

"I have told you all I know," she punctuated each word with exasperation and thinly veiled anger. "I know you think I'm mad, but I cannot make up an entire life I have not lived, even if it is what you want to hear."

He nodded and dropped the argument.

Meeting the current English ambassador the following day did not help solve the mystery of her identity as Athos had hoped. He tried to make inquiries about the English aristocracy in Paris, but all he received were evasive answers and suspicion. Finally, he asked outright whether a noblewoman was known to be missing, but the ambassador had no knowledge of any woman of importance going missing.

"You have to eat, Anne." It was the first time he used the name instead of addressing her with the polite 'madame'. She noticed the change, but pushed the plate with bread, cheese and grape he had offered back to him.

"Why?"

"Would you rather I let you starve?"

"My existence has no purpose now, why would I want to prolong this torture."

"You said you wanted to meet the king," he prompted and held his breath for her answer.

"No, I said the king could vouch for me if you let me write to him. But I guess he can't do that now if he's been dead for a century as you say." She snorted when the hilarity of the statement occurred to her.

So she is no threat to the king, Athos thought melancholically. _That leaves the other explanation._

As for the solution, now that required a particular leap of faith, and not just on his behalf. From his conversations with her, Athos had concluded that Anne was a highly intelligent and rebellious woman, who reminded him of a certain someone.

"I have an acquaintance that you can stay with, perhaps you can be of help."

"What help could I be to anyone?"

"You can read, can't you? I assume you can also write, so maybe you can assist with teaching." It would require some persuasion, but he could see no other option.

"Teach? Me?" Her incredulity was tainted with suspicion, but there was a sparkle in her eyes for the first time in days.

"Yes. Like I said, I know someone who does. She is staying at a small manor in the countryside and she teaches girls to read and write. I'm sure she'll welcome an assistant."

Anne narrowed her eyes.

"A noblewoman?"

"She used to be a countess, yes. Alas, her title and her fortune were stripped from her not long ago, but it seems to make her happy to still teach. She is an extraordinary woman."

"Oh." Anne gave him a lopsided smile and a knowing look that made his ears turn a little red.

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to meet her."


End file.
